On Wednesday 4th March, the European Commission unveiled a “climate law” that would commit the EU nations to reducing their net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 if it is approved by the European Parliament. The net zero target is already a EU goal, but this proposal would make it legally binding, yet activists and NGOs said more urgent action was needed to beat the climate crisis.
The proposed law is the centrepiece of the European Green Deal, a plan to transform Europe’s economy and pursue the EU’s ambition to become the first climate-neutral bloc in the world, promised by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the Commission, within her first 100 days.
“This climate law will set in stone Europe’s position as a climate leader on the global stage,” von der Leyen said announcing the law. “It will be our compass for the next 30 years and it will guide us every step as we build a sustainable new growth model.”
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who attended the meeting where the proposed regulation was approved by the Commission, said more urgent action was needed to beat the climate crisis, pointing out that the law fails to address the next 10 years as there is no plan to increase the bloc’s overall emissions goal for 2030.
The commission only said it would present a “responsible” plan by September on how to raise its current 2030 target of reducing greenhouse gases by 40% from 1990 levels to “at least 50% and towards 55%.” From 2030, however, the law would give Brussels power to impose tighter EU interim emissions targets every five years to steer the bloc towards its 2050 goal.
“In November 2019 the European Parliament declared a climate and environment emergency,” Thunberg said at the meeting. “You stated that yes, the house is actually burning, this was no false alarm, but then you went back inside, finished your dinner and watched your movie and went to bed without even calling the fire department.”
“When your house is on fire you don’t wait a few more years to start putting it out, and yet this is what the commission are proposing today.”
Thunberg, together with 33 other youth climate activists, also published an open letter on 3rd March.
“‘Net zero emissions by 2050’ for the EU equals surrender. It means giving up. We don’t just need goals for just 2030 or 2050. We, above all, need them for 2020 and every following month and year to come.”
Environment groups such as Greenpeace also objected to the law’s plan for the Commission to review the EU 2030 emissions target by September, which is only two months before a deadline at the UN climate summit in November, when all parties to the Paris Agreement on fighting climate change must make more ambitious emissions pledges to put the world on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
By instead reviewing the goal in June, which twelve EU countries – including France, Italy and the Netherlands but not the EU’s biggest emitter, Germany – already want the Commission to do, it would leave enough time for the EU to adopt the new 2030 target and use it to pressure large emitters such as China to raise their climate pledges before the UN summit.
To finance the climate transition, the EU plans to dedicate a quarter of its budget to tackling climate change and to work to mobilise 1 trillion euros ($1.1 trillion) in investment over the next 10 years. The financial plan includes a mechanism designed to help the regions that would be most disrupted economically by the transition to cleaner industries.
Legal experts also say the climate law would give Brussels extra tools to pressure countries before 2030. Starting in 2023, the Commission will name and shame member states not complying with EU climate targets and publish recommendations to get on track.
Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans said at the meeting of the Commission:
“We are turning words into action today, to show our European citizens that we are serious about reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The European Climate Law is also a message to our international partners that this is the year to raise global ambition together, in the pursuit of our shared Paris Agreement goals.